Swimming device



May 30, 1939. A. LARSON SWIMMING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1938 Fiq.4

INVENTOR. BY Arr/d Larson Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED sTArEs PATENTOFFICE 1 Claim.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved swimming devicefor increasing the effective area around the hands, which may readily bedropped so that it may hang down- 5 ward from the wrist to enable thelife-guard to take hold of someone or an object, and which may readilybe replaced while in the water.

The invention is a baffle plate curved to form a scoop adapted to beplaced in the palm of the in hand with the 'fingers held. in straps onthe back, and with the end freely held to the wrist.

Similar devices have been provided with means on the inside or front bywhich they may be attached to the hand, or with straps on the backthrough which the hands may be placed, however, it has been founddesirable to place the hand on the back of the device and anchor it withthe fingers in individual loops, and with an additional loop around thewrist so that it is positively held in position, and, at the same time,as such a device would prevent a life-guard or other person rescuingsomeone or gripping an object in the water, it has also been founddesirable to readily withdraw the thumb and fingers and permit thedevice to drop so that it is suspended from the loop at the wrist.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to improve swimming devicesof this type so that they may be positively held in position upon thehand, and also so that they may readily be released so that they may bedropped to hang from the wrist.

Another object is to provide a paddle or scoop adapted to be attached tothe hands for swimming which may readily be dropped by one hand, andthen replaced by one hand while the wearer thereof is in the water.

Another object is to provide means for mounting a bafile plate on thehands so that the hand pushes against the plate, driving it through thewater.

A further object is to provide means for securing bafile plates on thehands of a swimmer by which the devices may be constantly held inposition.

And a still further object is to provide a swimming device which is of asimple and economical construction.

With these ends in view the invention embodies curved metal platesslightly larger than the hands, with finger and thumb loops on the back,and a wrist strap on one end.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken 55 in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 device.

Figure 2 is a view showing a side elevation of one side of the device. V

Figure 3 is a view showing a cross section through the intermediate partof the device.

Figure 4: is a detail showing a longitudinal section through a part ofthe back of the device, illustrating'a recess therein for accommodatingthe heel of the hand.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a section similar to that shown in Figure 4of an alternate design in which the end of the plate is rolled.

Figure 6 is a detail showing an alternate design in which a sectionthrough the rear portion of the device is illustrated, and in thisdesign the edges are reinforced with beads which may a run continuouslyaround the device.

In the drawing the device is shown as it may be made, wherein numeral lindicates the body of the device, numeral 2, the finger straps, numeral3, the thumb strap, and numeral 4, the strap at the wrist.

The body of the device may be shaped as shown, and is preferably of sucha size that it is slightly larger than the hand, and the intermediatepart thereof is curved upward as shown at the point 5, forming a concavesurface at the front, which is adapted to hold the water and provide themaximum amount of driving force. The hand is positioned directly on theback of this plate which places a hand in such a position that it pushesthe plate through the water, and the hand is held by placing the tips ofthe fingers through the loops 6 in the strap 2, and with the tip of thethumb in the loop I of the strap 3. These straps are shown riveted tothe plate I by rivets 8 in the finger strap and 9 in the thumb strap,however, it will be understood that the straps may be attached to thedevice in any manner, or loops of this type may be formed by any means.The inner end of the device is narrowed down, and the strap 4 isattached to the end by rivets l0, and it will be noted that this maybuckle around the wrist, and the end of the plate may be curved downwardas shown at the point I l in Figures 2 and 4, or the end of this platemay be rolled around as shown in Figure 5, forming a bead l2 with a band13 extending therethrough, so that, when the device drops downward, theedge at the end thereof will not scratch or hurt the wrist. These beads,which may also be formed as shown in Figure 6', may run continuouslyaround the edge of the device, and may be made as shown in Figure 6 inwhich the plate is indicated by the numeral l4 and the I is a Viewshowing the back of the beads at the edges by the numerals l5 and IS.The edge of the plate may, however, be formed in any manner, and anymeans may be provided for reinforcing the plate or holding the devicearound the wrist.

It will be understood that other changes may be made in the constructionwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. One of which changesmay be in the shape of the device as this may be made of any otherdesign, another may be in the use of other means for individuallyholding the ends of the fingers and thumb, and still another may be inthe use of any other material for the plate instead of the metal asshown and described.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoingdescription. In use this device may be provided as shown and described,and, whereas one device is illustrated for the right hand, it will beunderstood that a similar device will be provided for the left hand,and, as hereinbefore stated, these devices may readily be installed byplacing the tips of the fingers and thumb in the loops with a straparound the wrist, and the cooperation of these parts makes it possibleto obtain a firm grip as the device is firmly held in position upon thehand; whereas, at the same time, by buckling the hand up, the tips ofthe fingers and thumb may readily be withdrawn from the loops so thatthe entire device will drop downward and hang from the wrist. This makesit possible for a swimmer to catch or grip an object in the water, andis particularly adapted for life-guards so that they may rapidly swim toa person, then drop the devices and use their hands to assist theperson, and then readily replace the device in the same manner toprovide greater buoyancy or force for taking the person in.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An attachment adapted to be used on the hands for increasing thepropelling power of a swimmer comprising a curved concave plate attachedto the wrist of the swimmer, and with the hand positioned on the back orconvex surface thereof, means holding the hand in position on the platecomprisingindividual loops for the tips of the fingers and thumb, withthe said tips of the fingers and thumb adapted to be readily inserted inand removed from said loops, and in combination therewith an additionalloop at the end of the plate providing the attaching means at the wrist,and formed of a relatively flexible strap adapted to be placed aroundthe wrist, said device further characterized by an indentation adaptedto receive the heel of the hand, and also in that the rear edge of theplate is curved downwardly, providing a smooth surface engaging thewrist when the tips of the fingers are withdrawn from the loops and theplate drops downward, in which position it is suspended from the wrist.

ARVID LARSON.

